On Thursday, May 3rd at 1:27 in the afternoon, a tragic 3 car collision took place on the grounds of Blaine High School, claiming the lives of two students. One was pronounced dead at the scene, but Amber Anderson was transferred to Mercy hospital, where she died as a result of her injuries. Two students were arrested, one charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) and the other of texting and driving. A funeral service for the victims of the crash was held the following morning.

Thankfully, this crash was a planned simulation to raise awareness and warn BHS students of the dangers of drunk and distracted driving known as “Arrive Alive”. The program included a scene of a car crash, the victims of which were portrayed by students. The local police and fire departments worked in cooperation with Arrive Alive. There were also ambulances, a herse, and even a helicopter present.

The next morning, BHS juniors and seniors were brought to the auditorium for a presentation to follow up on the “crash” that was staged the day before. The presentation began with a video showing what the kids were doing just before the crash. They had all been drinking at a party and left in a hurry because one girl’s mom was coming home. After the video ended, the families of the two students who had died in the crash read letters they had written. The mothers cried as they read the letters they had each written to their child that would never again come home.

After the families had finished reading their letters, the Blaine Chief of Police and a state attorney gave statistics on DWIs in Anoka county and explained what would happen to a driver after being arrested for a DWI.

Lastly, students heard from a woman who’s life was drastically changed by a drunk driver. Her parents were struck by a drunk driver driving down the wrong side of Lexington Ave. on Easter Sunday of 2009. Both her parents sustained serious injuries; her mother survived the crash and is still alive today, but her father died of his injuries two months later. Because of the recklessness of this driver, who not only survived the crash but was unharmed, this man did not live to attend his daughter’s wedding. He never got to meet his grandson, Mikey, born three years later, who is named after him. The drunk driver had two children of his own, and the woman said she believed justice was served when this man had to tell his children that he had “stolen” someone else’s dad.

Drunk driving kills. Distracted driving kills. Don’t let you or your friends become the next victims. Be safe when you are on the road. Do not get behind the wheel of a car if you have been drinking, and do not ride with someone who has been drinking. It may be tempting, but do not check your phone while driving. Always wear your seatbelt. Arrive Alive reminds us as students to be cautious behind the wheel, and to think before we make a decision that could forever change our lives and the lives of those around us.